"Zoom" (also known with its subtitle "Academy for Superheroes") is a 2006 film released on August 11, 2006. It is based upon the graphic novel "Zoom's Academy" by Jason Lethcoe. Directed by Peter Hewitt, the film stars Tim Allen, Kate Mara, Spencer Breslin, Michael Cassidy, Kevin Zegers, Courteney Cox Arquette, Chevy Chase and Ryan Newman. The film is rated PG by the MPAA for brief rude humor, language, and mild action.

The film's release was held up due to a lawsuit filed by Fox and Marvel Comics. "Zoom" was initially intended to premiere two weeks before "" but it was alleged that the script for "Zoom" was too similar to the "X-Men" film franchise and would 'confuse' viewers.cite web|url=http://www.comicbookmovie.com/news/articles/2075.asp|title=Marvel Sues over Zoom Movie|accessdate=2008-06-20]

The film was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/List?endings=on&&locations=Hamilton,+Ontario,+Canada |title=Internet Movie Database - List of Films shot in Hamilton, Ontario|accessdate=2008-01-29]

ynopsis

Decades prior to the start of the film, the American military sponsored a superhero group called "Team Zenith." Its leaders were Jack Shepard, aka Captain Zoom, who possessed super-speed, and his brother, Concussion, who could project sonic blasts. However, the military tried to increase the team's powers by exposing them to an experimental form of radiation called "Gamma-13." This caused Concussion to become more powerful, but it also turned him evil. Concussion killed his teammates Marksman, Ace, and Daravia; Concussion was believed to be killed by Zoom in an explosion (in reality, he had been sent into another dimension). Zoom lost his powers, and his brother.

Decades later, the scientist behind the original Zenith Project, Dr. Grant, discovers that Concussion is making his way back into their own dimension. Larraby, the military officer in charge of the Project, decides to form a new Zenith Team to fight him.

Jack finds himself dragged back into the Project, this time as an instructor. He is told that a new team is needed to battle a great menace, but he isn't told what it is. He is told, however, that if natural training does not prepare the new team in time, then they will be exposed to Gamma-13. In their secret base, Area 52 (a reference to Area 51) he meets Marsha, a beautiful but clumsy psychologist, who is a big fan of his, knowing of him only through the comic book propaganda adaptations of the team's adventures.

The project holds an audition of would-be members, most of whom possess useless or disgusting powers. In the end, four young people are selected:

* Dylan, a 17-year-old boy who can turn invisible and has clairvoyance* Summer, a 16-year-old girl with telekinetic powers and empathic senses* Tucker, a 12-year-old boy with the power to enlarge any part of his body* Cindy, a 6-year-old girl with super strength.

All of them are shown as having problems adapting to normal life because of their powers.

At first, things do not go well. Jack is bitter about the past, and his sarcastic attitude disappoints Marsha. Dylan keeps trying to escape, Tucker has self-esteem problems and trouble controlling his powers, and the kids are annoyed by Dr. Grant's attitude. The team eventually forces Jack to face the fact that he's not really putting his heart into their training. Slowly, things begin to come together. As the new team's abilities improve, they adopt superhero identities.

Eventually, just as Concussion is about to arrive on Earth, it is discovered that Dylan also possesses a kind of clairsentience that allows him to discover not only Concussion's location, but also the project's true purpose: the team is meant merely as a distraction from the military's plans to capture Concussion in a special net to send him back into another dimension. Marsha also reveals that she secretly possesses a superpower of her own-"super breath", which appears as clouds of rainbow-colored wind. She uses this power to aid the team in their escape. Using a malfunctioning flying saucer stored in the base, Jack escapes with the team, including Marsha. He is dropped off at a point in a desert where Concussion will arrive, planning to try to talk to him. Jack tells the team to stay away, but they refuse.

When Concussion arrives, he refuses to listen to reason and starts firing sonic blasts at his brother. The rest of the team takes him on. Larraby orders the net to be fired, but Concussion blasts it away, and it almost lands on Cindy. This causes Jack to react and recover his speed, and he saves her. He then runs back to the base(tripping over in the process), puts on a new costume, and returns to battle his brother. Working together, the team (plus Marsha) knock Concussion into a high-speed vortex that Zoom creates by running around in a circle at super-speed; Dr. Grant yells to Zoom that if he closes the vortex they can save Concussion; the vortex ultimatly sucks the energy out of his body and restores him to normal. The two brothers are happily reunited.

The movie ends with scenes depicting the kids living their lives better, even using their powers in public, still active as a superhero team.

Cast and characters

* Tim Allen as Jack Shepard/Captain Zoom - He was once a member of a superhero team known as Zenith. After a failed experiment with gamma radiation his brother, Concussion, turned evil and Zoom lost his powers of superhuman speed. He was later located by the government and used to form a new superhero team and defeat his brother.

* Courteney Cox Arquette as Marsha Holloway - She is a big fan of Zoom and his comics book adventures. She is however disappointed with Zoom's attitude, but they later learn to get along. She later reveals that she has the power of super breath.

* Spencer Breslin as Tucker Williams/Mega Boy - He is a fat boy who is constantly teased about his appearance. He is one of the kids chosen for Zoom's class. He has the power of elasticity.

* Kate Mara as Summer Jones/Wonder - She is a teenage girl who is constantly teased by the cheerleaders at her school. She is one of the kids chosen for Zoom's class. She has the power of telekinesis and empathy.

* Michael Cassidy as Dylan West/Houdini - He is the oldest of kids chosen for Zoom's class who has a crush on Summer. He has the power of invisibility and clairvoyance.

* Ryan Newman as Cindy Collins/Princess - She is the youngest of the kids chosen for Zoom's class. She is rarely taken seriously by the rest of the group. She has the power of superhuman strength.

* Chevy Chase as Dr. Grant - He is a scientist at the Area 52 base and he constantly annoys the kids with his serious attitude. He is the inventor of Gamma 13. He tells Jack how to save Concussion at the end and is apparently accepted as a member of the team afterwards. He was also the sidekick of the original team and designed the super suit Jack dons at the end during the battle with Concussion.

* Kevin Zegers as Connor Shepard/Concussion - He is Zoom's older brother who was turned evil by Gamma 13. He was thought to be dead but later turned out to be trapped in another dimension. He has the power to project force blasts from his hands. He is defeated by Jack and the new Team Zenith and the energy that turned him evil is sucked out of him by Jack with a high speed vortex. He turns good again and rejoins Team Zenith.

Zenith Team Members

Jack Shepard/Captain Zoom - Once a member of a superhero team known as Zenith. After a failed experiment with gamma radiation, his brother, Concussion, turned evil. As a result of the same experiment, Zoom lost his powers of superhuman speed as well. He was later located by the government and used to help form a new superhero team and defeat his brother.

Connor Shepard/Concussion - Captain Zoom's older brother who was turned evil by Gamma 13. He was thought to be dead but later turned out to be trapped in another dimension. He has the power to project force blasts from his hands. He is defeated by Jack and the new Team Zenith and the energy that turned him evil is sucked out of him by Jack with a high speed vortex. He turns good again and rejoins Team Zenith.

Not much is known about the rest of the Zenith Team except their Zenith names and most of their abilities.

Marksman it has bin suggested that his power was telekinesis so he could redirect his arrows.

Ace it has been suggested that her power was Speed or Luck.

Goofs

*In the scene where Jack attempts to talk to Connor, and also when Jack recovers his powers and saves Cindy, a microphone boom briefly appears at the top of the screen. *In the scene where the team and staff are playing baseball, if you look closely, you can see Mr. Pibb, a robot that was Zoom's friend when he was at the academy, and that they're playing in the hangar that is holding the flying saucer. However, later in the movie Zoom sees Mr. Pibb and acts like he hadn't seen him before and introduces him to the team. He then takes the team to the hangar with the flying saucer where they had been playing baseball in earlier and they act as if they had never seen it before.*Later the team takes the flying saucer out for a spin the first time and stop for food at a Wendy's. After Tucker orders six Frosties for himself, they go to collect their order. The view of the counter with the food from the flying saucer's camera (the bluish-green tinged view) shows only four Frosties on the tray, with no other drinks. Immediately after, the 'normal' camera shows two more glasses behind the tray that weren't present earlier.

Reception

The movie received extremely negative reviews from critics, causing it to receive a 2% rotten rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website. "Zoom" has also performed poorly at the box office, earning only a total of $12 million in North America. It is considered the tenth worst movie ever made by Rotten Tomatoes.

Nominations

"Razzie Awards"*2007**Worst Actor- (Tim Allen)

"Young Artist Awards"*2007**Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress Age Ten or Younger- (Ryan Newman)

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